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The first time he sees him he glares because the man is very intimidating.
He’s a tall foreboding figure in his dark-colored military-grade vest, helmet, and issued weapon strapped to his chest. Each piece serves as a stark reminder of the disruption to their lives that the war has caused. The shadow from the rim of his helmet falling over his eyes makes him so menacing looking down when they first meet.
“I’d like to purchase one rose please,” the man says.
Although he’s polite his gruff voice is scary at first to the flower seller. The seller makes a snap decision that he doesn’t want this type of customer.
“We have no more roses,” he tells him.
The man looks at his cart which is full of them, but he doesn’t question the obvious lie.
“How about one tulip?”
“We have no more flowers,” He tells him hoping he will get the picture that he doesn’t want his business.
He’s not sure he can put it more bluntly than that without feeling, as he already does, that his life is in danger just from the man’s presence.
“Okay, sorry” the soldier apologizes to him and carries on down the dusty roads.
The next day they meet he notices the man’s blue eyes are cold as ice and completely foreign, just as he is to their country, an unfamiliar invasive species. It’s easy to tell he’s not like them just from the way he approaches the stand. He’s stiff as a board when he walks as if he always has to be distinctly aware of his surroundings. The seller guesses he does, it’s just part of the man’s job.
“Good day,” the man greets him with a slight smile this time, “I’d like to purchase one rose, please.”
It surprises him that man even bothered returning the next day given their last interaction. Maybe buying the rose was something very important to him. Why must he choose his stand though? There are many on the street with Valentine’s Day arriving at the end of the week. Certainly, the others he could even haggle for a lower price than the ones he’s selling here.
“We have no more roses,” he says.
The man again looks at his full cart and then his cool blue eyes skate back to the flower sellers.
“Sorry,” the man blurts embarrassed tipping his helmet awkwardly and he continues down the street.
On the third day, he expects the man to come again. This time he decides if he asks for a rose then he would sell it to him in hopes that he won’t return again.
“Hello, good day,” the soldier greets him, “I would like to purchase one rose please.”
Was it his imagination or were his greetings getting longer? Instead of answering he points to the price on the sign.
Surprised the man searches his pockets for his wallet. The man hands him his money, so he plucks a rose from the bucket that’s already wrapped. He hands it off to the soldier and then he returns his attention back to his cart to get the man’s change. When he turns back around with his coins the man is gone. He sees his tall figure a little way down the street.
He thinks he can run it to him, but he doesn’t move as he’s afraid to leave his cart unattended. Had the soldier not known he overpaid him? He sets aside the extra coins not knowing if he’ll ever see him again.
On day four he’s startled by the soldier’s voice after he hands off a small bouquet to another customer.
“Hello and good day” the man starts same as always but a little longer and he cuts him off.
“Hey, you forgot your change yesterday,” he says.
He lifts the cup that he set the coins under. He grabs them and places them directly into the man’s hands curling the soldier’s fingers with his, so he doesn’t drop them.
A deep blush sets on the man’s pale features and flustered he pockets the coins and rushes away.
What was that about the flower seller wonders?
He’s also curious if the man was going to ask to purchase a rose. He didn’t finish what he was saying so he guesses he’ll find out tomorrow.
On day five his cart is fairly busy, and he sells so many roses he thinks if the man doesn’t show soon, he’ll actually sell out. He won’t have to lie to him like all those days earlier.
Luckily the soldier arrives in time to get his rose. Since he stands out in his uniform the seller sees him coming.
“Good day,” he greets him first this time with a smile as the man gets close enough to hear.
His eyes widen and for some reason, the seller feels like he did something wrong by messing up their natural order.
“Good day,” he returns his greeting slowly “can I purchase one rose please.”
“Yes,” he tells him still smiling.
He no longer felt intimidated by him, he’d seen how he was a bit awkward, a bit clumsy sometimes, and it became sort of endearing.
The man reaches into his right pocket to grab his wallet and hands him the bills. He gets his rose, and the seller can’t help watching him as he doesn’t want the man to run off without his change again.
When he hands back his change this time he drops it in his hand remembering how flustered the soldier became after he’d touched him. The soldier pockets his money, and he thinks the interaction is over, but then the man reaches into another pocket. He slips the seller a note and he makes his way as he always does back down the streets.
When he sees the tall silhouette is out of sight blended into the crowd he unfolds the man’s letter immediately.
The handwriting is a bit scratchy but it’s readable.
‘Will you be my valentine?’ is how the letter starts and the man goes on to describe his patrols. He says he’d often pass by him diligently cutting flowers and making beautiful bouquets that reminded him of home. Day by day he says he started to like him but didn’t know how to start a conversation so one day he decided to buy a rose.
He left dejected at first but was reminded by the flower seller’s own diligence that he shouldn’t give up so soon. So, he tried again and again and was so happy when he sold him a rose. If he doesn’t have plans or someone special, he asks if he’ll join him for dinner on Valentine’s Day but of course only if he has no more flowers to sell.
“Hello, could I get some roses?” The random customer’s shrill voice breaks him out of his reading.
He didn’t know how he would answer the soldier tomorrow. He really had to think about it, so he refolds his note and stuffs it in his back pocket.
Outside with his cart on Day 6 he is flooded by last-minute buyers. He has a consistent string of customers throughout the day. He keeps searching the crowds for him, but he never sees the soldier. The day ends with most of his flowers gone and he goes home to get a good rest for tomorrow.
On Valentine’s Day as the flower seller expects his roses are gone in minutes. There is so much business that by midday he’s down to only tulips and carnations and even then, it’s not very many. He still thinks about the mysterious soldier that visited him and wonders if he was disillusioned and if their meetings were all in his head. He keeps his eyes peeled same as before for the gentleman dressed head to toe in military garb. He gives up when he’s down to one last tulip at his stand.
“I’d like to purchase one rose, please.”
“We have no more roses,” he says robotically as he’d been telling people all day.
“How about one tulip?” the man asks.
The seller sighs plucking the tulip and turns to hand it to the customer, he doesn’t even care if he pays for it or not.
He takes in the figure and he feels like his ears had played a trick on him after having only not seen the man for one day. It’s him, he thinks, looking into the piercing blue eyes. His uniform is replaced by a white button-up and heather grey pants. No wonder he couldn’t have picked him out in the crowd. His hair which he’d never seen before is short and jet black.
The seller can’t help smiling at him as he hands him the tulip. He thought the soldier had given up on him.
“Did you read my letter?” The man asks him nervously.
He nods.
“I see you have no more flowers,” he says looking at the buckets.
It’s strange how he had showed up perfectly timed to take the last tulip.
“Were you watching me this whole time?” He asks him and sees as the soldier averts his eyes.
His pale cheeks grow as pink as the tulip he’s holding. He doesn’t need to answer anymore as the seller can tell he’s right going by his reaction.
Still, the man is honest, and he tells him he was watching or more so waiting for an opportunity to approach him.
The merchant laughs and he begins to walk over to his buckets to stack them.
“So what’s for dinner?” He asks him as he continues to pack up his stand.
“I-it’s a surprise,” the man says flustered.
“Oh okay,” he says gathering the buckets and sliding them into the wooden storage under the cart.
The man comes beside him and helps hand him the buckets to pack. When they’re done the flower seller shuts the wood doors and clasps on a thick chained coded lock. He pops back up from having bent to put the buckets away. He takes the soldier’s free hand, the one that isn’t holding the tulip. He’s surprised and looks over at him instantly.
“Lead the way,” the flower seller smiles at him.
He’s led as he expects down the busy street which is a path he’d always seen the man take. Honestly, he isn’t sure what compelled him to accept his invitation. Maybe it was because even before the soldier asked him out, he was always thinking about their encounters.
They take a right down one street and walk through an alleyway to get to another. Where they pop out the area is crawling with military and he grows uncomfortable.
“Is it okay that I’m accompanying you?” He asks the man because they get quite a few stares at being together. There weren’t many civilians that he saw in this area of the town.
“It’s uncommon but is perfectly acceptable,” the soldier reassures “we’re almost there.”
It’s not long before they arrive shortly at a simple brick housing complex. A key code unlocks the entryway, and he lets himself be led through a dimly lit stairwell to the second floor. His quarters aren’t far from the stairs and the soldier fiddles with the key as he unlocks the door.
The flower seller wonders if he is nervous about showing him his space. When he opens the door the seller is greeted by the aroma of food. He thinks the man shouldn’t have been nervous about his space at all with how bare it is.
The room is quite simple with the living room connected to a small kitchen and there is only one small hallway that must lead to the soldier’s room. There isn’t any decor just a simple black couch and a coffee table. It’s almost like a model apartment, so clean with only a few personal decorations that it hardly looked lived in.
They get to the kitchen and there is a small circular wooden table with two wooden chairs. There are plates set out and between those is a small vase where the flowers he sold him sit. Some of the petals are starting to wither but he’s done a good job keeping them alive evidenced by the different heights where he cut their stems shorter to get water easier.
He takes a seat at the table and the soldier grabs the plates to ready the food. His eyes wander around the room more as he waits and he notices a picture hanging on the fridge. He gets up wanting a closer look.
“Your son is very cute?” he says a ring of question in his voice because he isn’t sure who the bubbly kid sitting in the field of wildflowers is.
“S-son,” the man stutters a blush surfacing on his cheeks “that’s me in the photo.”
“Is that so,” the seller blushes at his mistake and returns to the table slightly relieved.
The kid just seemed so bright and outgoing that he wouldn’t have expected him to have grown into such an enigma of a person. He guessed war could change anyone’s image.
“Yes, that was taken right behind my home,” the soldier informs as he arrives shortly with plates full of the mouth-watering dish that had a heavenly scent.
He’s curious about where he’s from but before he can ask his stomach growls in hunger as he hadn’t caught a break the whole day. The man smiles at him and motions for him to dig in, it would be rude to turn down so he happily obliges. It tastes just as good as the smell and the savory flavors fill him up quickly. The man smiles at him watching him enjoy the food.
Against the soldier’s wishes, he gets up to start washing their plates when they finish. The man follows him to the sink and steals the plates from him insisting that he’s there as his guest.
He decides to sit on the couch as he waits, and the man joins him shortly sitting a bit away. He doesn’t know why the man elected to sit so far from him, so he starts by moving closer which startles the man.
“Are you sure you like me?” He asks him as he set a hand on the man’s thigh.
“I do,” he gulps looking down at the hand.
Then why did it still feel as if the soldier was running away from him, the way he had all those times on the streets?
“You seem nervous,” he gives his thoughts honestly rubbing at the man’s thigh gently to relax him.
“I don’t want to mess this up,” the man says barely above a whisper his eyes skirting back to the seller’s own.
“Nor do I,” he tells the man hoping it will give him a proper boost in confidence.
The soldier stares at him slightly dumbfounded and the flower merchant smirks.
In seconds it’s like the dam breaks and the man draws forward quickly connecting their mouths. All the tension is eased away slowly by the warm press of their lips and parting open he allows the man to sweep his tongue in. As their mouths move together, he clutches his fingers tight into the fabric of his pants.
The man’s hands move to cup his face gently and carefully which is the complete opposite of the hurried dominating kisses they shared. He lets himself be swept away by the mouth wondering where the shyness went. He moved his hand from the man’s thigh to his crotch making him hum into their connected mouths.
He caresses him over the fabric feeling powerful just from making the man grow larger in his hand. The man moves his hands from his face and suddenly his hands are gliding under his shirt up his torso. He arches into the touch as the hands firmly grip his waists. The soldier’s fingers claw at every soft dip and curve in his skin.
After a long firm kiss, he separates from the man to remove his shirt working it up over his head quickly. The man’s flustered face and shallow breaths turn him on more.
“Do you have a shower?” He asks as he stands up from the couch and starts to undo his pants.
The soldier nods eyes glazed roaming over his body as he becomes fully unclothed in front of him.
“Take me there,” he urges pulling the man up from the seat.
When he’s finally standing he wraps his arms around the man’s neck and stands on the tips of his toes to reach his height and kiss him. Again, the confident tongue in his mouth seems a contrast to his energy. He hops up a bit to wrap his legs around the man’s hips. Surprised the man grabs handfuls of his bare legs to hold him up steady against him.
“Take me there,” he repeats against his lips smiling into the kiss as the man begins to move.
He moves from his lips to his jaw and plants soft kisses along his neck making the man groan as he carries him down the slim hallway. The door creaks open at the end of it from a kick and the man veers left opening another door. He lets go of his legs now that they’re in the bathroom.
Reluctantly he removes his hands from the soldier’s neck allowing him to move to turn on the water. The bathroom is just as well kept he concludes gazing at the sink that only has a toothbrush, mint paste coupled with a few shavers, and gel.
When the water runs hot enough that steam starts to fog the mirror the soldier turns back to him. The man starts to pass by to exit but he grabs hold of his wrist stopping him. He pulls him back towards him and starts to unclasp the small buttons on his shirt for him.
“It’ll be more fun together,” he tells him “Don’t you think?”
The man hesitates at first but nods before starting to remove his own pants and underwear. He works off the man’s shirt getting the last button undone and adds it to the clothes discarded on the floor.
He drags the man into the shower with him quickly finding the bar of soap to lather them both up. He can feel the man’s back muscles tense under his touch.
“You know you can talk more,” the merchant encourages stepping out from the spray of water so he can rinse off too.
“I-well…okay,” the soldier spouts stepping under the hot water “what are you…interested in?”
It seems like a safe topic of conversation but an odd choice considering they’re both semi-hard in his shower.
“You, I’m interested in you,” the merchant says slyly.
He guides him back him against the tiles and out of the way of the water at the edge of the shower. Then he crouches in front of him taking the long cock in his hands.
“Is this okay with you?” he asks looking up into the lust-filled eyes that watch him expectantly.
The man starts to nod but catches himself “yes it’s okay.”
“I like your voice,” is the last thing he says before his mouth becomes occupied.
He presses his tongue flush against his shaft licking up to the light pink head. He licks teasingly around the head before kissing him there. Then he works his tongue over him more slowly wrapping his tongue around him. He parts his lips wider dipping the head past his lips and rubbing his hands along the rest of the length.
He swallows him into his mouth more until he can feel him completely hard poking at the walls of his throat. Fingers lace through his hair and he looks up again completely dazed as his cheeks hollow around the cock. The man groans lightly seeing him stuffed full. He works to take him in and out of his mouth jaw slackening and all he can taste is his flesh.
The lewd sound as he pulls off rings in his ears over the still-running water. He laps at the glans more before filling his mouth again. This time the soldier thrust his hips lightly into his mouth making him moan at the other man’s enjoyment. His tongue brushes against the underside of the head of his cock and he sees the man’s leg muscles tighten before his eyes.
Then the man frantically pulls away from his wet mouth a deep moan escaping his lips with his orgasm. He rubs his cock and the cum splashes against his chest and his neck sullying him. He’s curious about what it tastes like so he gathers some on his fingers and starts to bring it toward his mouth.
Stormy blue eyes go wide catching his movement and the man grabs his wrist tightly. It stops him from moving his hand any closer and he thinks he could just move his head the rest of the way. He doesn’t and instead he gets up from his spot. He smiles at him slightly embarrassed as he moves back under the jet of water to clean himself off again.
He motions the soldier over as the man is still planted stiffly against the wall in shock. He moves slowly to join him again rinsing himself off too.
“Sorry about that,” the man says voice raspy “It felt good, I-I just didn’t want it to feel like I’m just using you or something…I don’t know.”
“How do you know I’m not the one using you?” he pokes his chest adding a wink to show he’s not serious.
He is flustered when the man pulls him closer leaning down to capture his lips. He finds himself moaning into the ravaging kiss as a large hand slides around his cock stroking it gently while they make out. He feels weak in the knees slipping slowly from the man’s lips the more he touches him. The water turns cool jolting them both and they hurry to turn it off and get out.
He’s offered a towel and quickly pats his hair and body dry ignoring the ticklish feel against his erection. He sets the towel down over the sink when he’s done not knowing where to place it. He yelps in surprise when the soldier comes and lifts him, gathering him in his arms as he takes him to the bed.
He laughs as they stumble onto the soft down comforter and the soldier leans over top of him to kiss him again. The man resumes touching his cock with gentle strokes and caressing his balls too. He moans into their connected mouths growing breathless the longer their lips are locked.
While they kiss he puts his hands on the man’s chest above him making a note that while the man is slim it’s mostly lean muscles. He runs his hands down his ribcage to his smooth stomach and further to the man’s dick. He feels the tongue in his mouth stop as he grips the man’s cock rubbing his fingers down the length.
The soldier separates from his lips and kisses his neck teasing at a spot. The merchant continues to rub the man’s dick quicker trying to bring it back to life. They’re both stroking each other, and the soldier’s cock grows in his nimble fingers again. When the man’s nice and hard straining against his stomach he collapses to the side of him. They both twist their bodies facing each other on their sides laying on the bed.
He moves his fingers from the man’s dick to his ass pulling their middles together and grinding them. The soldier’s legs tangle with his own as he slides against him with a moan. He humps him faster and one of the man’s hands moves to wrap around his lower back drawing them even closer.
“I-I want you to fuck me,” he tells the soldier moaning as he careens his head up in his direction to look at him.
The man looks at him for a long moment and their movements slow to a crawl.
“Um…turn around and lift your hips,” the man tells him blushing.
The bed creaks as they both move, and the soldier reaches for his nightstand shuffling around in the content of his drawer.
The flower seller rolls over lying on his stomach lifting his hips in the air as directed while he waits. His eyes peer over to the man fiddling in the drawer as he finds what he is looking for. When the soldier turns back to look at him, he wriggles his butt at him. He watches as the man groans nearly dropping the bottle he’s holding onto.
“Stop that or I won’t be able to hold back,” the man says no tremor or nervousness in his voice.
It’s just pure unbridled lust.
The soldier moves behind him popping the cap on the bottle and pouring a liquid over his fingers. He grabs ahold of his plump rear spreading the cheeks and running his fingers across his entrance. The flower merchant moans into the pillow in front of him as he pushes a slender finger in. He rocks back against the intrusion moaning more as the other man’s hand comes around to touch his cock.
The man slips more fingers into him rotating them in and out with a twisting motion. He works him open scissoring the long fingers inside him until he’s asking him for more.
For something bigger and he purposely shakes his ass in tormenting circles as he begs to be fucked.
He feels the man plant his dick firmly between his round ass cheeks without entering him. It’s just as tantalizing as he feels the man see-saw his hips pushing his buttocks together to squeeze his dick.
“It’d feel better inside me,” he tells the soldier making him groan and grip his ass tighter.
He listens to him though and slowly inserts the head of his cock into him making them both moan. The more he pushes into him the more the merchant grows with the need for him to pound into him. He tries to push his hips back onto him and the soldier lets him only moving his hands to spread his ass so he can watch his cock disappear.
“You’re so tight,” the man grunts when he’s fully enclosed in the clamping heat of his body.
The deep voice from behind him makes his cock tingle along with the feeling of being full. He works his hips back and forth basking in the moans he elicits from the man. The soldier grabs hold of his sides as he rolls his hips into him. The steady pace feels good and his cock brushes against his prostate making him clench.
“Fuck so tight,” the man repeats before snapping his hips into him again right into his prostate.
The merchant moans feeling like his body is melting from the pleasure of each powerful plunge into him. Everything thing feels warm from his face to his ass. The man grabs hold of his shoulders making him gasp. The soldier speeds up driving his dick into him until he’s pressing him into the bed. Laying over him he peppers his back with kisses as he continues to shove deep inside his ass.
The soldier lifts his torso to rub his slim fingers across the pebbled nipples on the merchant’s chest.
“Ahh please,” the flower seller mutters at the touch “let me come.”
“You can,” the man whispers in his ear kissing the back of his neck.
He moves his hand to his throbbing cock which is already dripping, and he rolls his thumb over the head. He rubs his length faster and faster brushing the underside of his dick.
“Oh ahh fuck,” the merchant cries as he spills into the man’s hand.
His insides tighten on the dick deep inside him with each spurt. The soldier tries to pull out of him, but he finishes seconds later right at the edge of his ass spreading his warm cum inside and outside his hole.
The merchant rolls back over on the bed so he can see the man’s face more clearly. His eyes are blown out looking at him and he lazily strokes his softening cock.
Smiling he beckons him closer, so the soldier leans over him. He kisses him again his tongue licking at his lips for entry. Both men part open and their tongues languidly jostle.
“What’s your name by the way?” he asks the soldier softly pulling away from his lips.
The man laughs and smiles starting to open his mouth to tell him.
“I changed my mind don’t say it,” he tells him before reconnecting their lips.
The soldier pulls away this time a smile still on his face “well what should I call you?”
The merchant hesitates unsure for a second if he should divulge his real name.
“Just call me your valentine,” he decides rashly biting his lip.
“Okay, I’d like that,” the soldier nods smiling.
They lock eyes and slowly lean their heads forward to kiss once more.